Role Playing
by Roses of Sharon
Summary: He's been her Prince Charming and Hero and everything in between, but he's finally beginning to see her as not just a Damsel in Distress. SasuSaku, side NaruHina


Disclaimer: I do not own _Naruto_.

Summary: Because he's been her Prince Charming and Hero and everything in between, but he's finally seen her as more than a Damsel-in-Distress.

Role-Playing

_i. _

When Sakura first sees Sasuke, they're little children, and she's shopping with her mother. He's with _his _mommy, and they briefly say hello to one another. Sakura decides right then that she likes him, because he has a nice smile, and he's polite. They shake hands and walk away, and Sasuke just manages to hear Sakura tell her mother, "I'm going to marry him someday, mommy."

_ii._

The second time they meet, they are students at the Ninja Academy. He doesn't smile, and it makes her feel sad, because he had such a nice smile. But he doesn't smile at anyone, though most of the girls smile at him. He doesn't talk to anyone, either, and it's a bit strange. She decides, mentally, that he's either a Strong and Silent type, or a Tall, Dark, and Handsome type. (Either way, she is to play his Light).

The only one she's decided he's not is Prince Charming. (So she can't be his Cinderella).

_iii._

She sees him every day after that, except on weekends, but she doesn't really _see _him until a day six months later, when Ami steals her cookies for lunch when Ino isn't there. She's scared and just a little bit angry, and she's trying to fight back, but what comes so easily to Ino just doesn't come to _her_, so she's _this close _to crying when Ami suddenly spins around, "Iruka-sensei!"

Sakura looks up, surprised. (Iruka-sensei never noticed anything before). Out of the corner of her eye, she sees Sasuke, watching. She turns to him and mouths, "Thank you," before following Iruka-sensei inside.

To her list, she adds Hero.

_iv._

When she becomes genin, she's assigned to a team with him and Uzumaki Naruto. They have a teacher who's never on time, so every morning she has an hour to watch him. He's patient, she notices. He's calm and emotionless. He's annoyed by Naruto. He never talks. And most of all, he never ever talks to her other than to say, "Hn," "Aa," or, "You're annoying."

Inwardly, she decides that maybe he isn't a Hero. But she doesn't want to take that off the list.

_v_.

It's when he saves her that she decides that maybe he could be the Hero.

But can she be his princess?

_vi._

When he leaves, she tells him she loves him. She thought, maybe… maybe the Hero would stay for his Princes.

Its right about then that she realizes that she's not content to be his Damsel-in-Distress. She wants to be his Warrior Princess, his equal. Except not really, because she still clings to the idea of being protected by him, because in her eyes, even though he left her, he's still Sasuke-kun.

_vii_.

When she sees him again, she is _a _warrior princess, but is she _his_? She doesn't think so, because it's a little awkward, and he's trying to kill her, and there's a red-haired girl clinging to him. The girl can track, she thinks, but she can't heal or cause earthquakes, and she's still stuck as a Damsel-in-Distress, so Sasuke-kun can't like her, can he?

But maybe he can. After all, he can't be a Hero anymore. (She realized this some time after he left. Heroes don't abandon everyone who ever cared about them. Naruto is the hero in this story now, and Hinata is his Lady).

So she decides that she doesn't need to be _his _warrior princess.

_viii_.

The next time they meet, she's Konoha's Sweetheart (their Healer and Warrior Princess), and she doesn't think that she needs him. (She'll get over him, she tells herself, even though she hasn't yet.)

But he's willing to be her Hero now, and as he stumbles through the gates, she knows he needs her.

_ix_.

She was wrong. He's her Hero and her Prince Charming and everything in between. He's everything she ever dreamed of, because he _is _what he dreamed of, and he's letting her be his Light and Healer and Warrior Princess, and, sometimes, when she needs it, he lets her be his Damsel-in-Distress.


End file.
